A lot of Australians look forward to retiring and heading off with their family or partner for an extended road trip in their RV. We all know at least someone who has packed up their knitting and scrabble set, fishing rod and favourite camping chair, but these days people also want and need the comfort of charged electronic equipment such as laptops, TV’s and the like.
Generally speaking, most modern caravans, RV’s or motor homes have a 12 volt or 24 volt battery system when they come from the factory. These systems are then charged by the vehicle's alternator while the engine is running, and often include a 230 volt battery charger to maintain the battery when connected to the grid.
Herein lies the problem; in remote locations (like most National Parks) 230V is not often available. Being stuck without an alternative power supply means they are forced to run a generator or the car’s engine, which is the only way to re-charge the batteries. This of course ruins the peaceful benefits of parking and camping remotely.
With the incredible increase in the number of caravans and RV’s on our roads, a lot of grey nomads are hoping to head off the road and enjoy a few stays in less populated camp areas, some of which do not offer powered sites.
Solar panels are the perfect way to keep batteries charged while camping. Solar (PV) modules are very quiet, don't smell or emit anything toxic, last for 20 years or more (with warranties that last 10 years minimum), require hardly any maintenance, and in this day and age are also quite affordable. At the end of their life solar panels make a great coffee table, quite the talking point when guests come over.
We sell both 12 volt and 24 volt (nominal) solar panels to match your RV's battery voltage. Our panels come in various different shapes and sizes to suit most vehicles/installation areas.
For smaller vehicles, caravans and RV’s we recommend movable or portable solar panels, where you park your vehicle in the shade to reduce heat and assure extra comfort, but you place the solar panel/s a few meters away in the full sun. The install costs are minimal (if there are even any at all) and you don’t need special costly and awkward framing. As I said before, panels come in many various sizes to adapt to a lot of different storage areas. Some solar panels even have ‘legs’ to allow you to easily adjust the angle (legs can also be retrofitted). To get the most power out of your panels you simply adjust the position/angle a few times a day – ‘tracking’ or angling them towards the sun.
If the vehicle is big enough then the panels can also be mounted to the cars roof. While manual tracking is more efficient than roof top installations, experienced campers often opt for stationary panels– mostly for the pure ease and convenience and the peace of mind and security. Keeping in mind that these people are on vacation or a long awaited trip, the less hassles and the less to think about- the better.
Because the solar panels will have to withstand strong head winds and constant vibrations, we do recommend professional installation. Note: we regret to inform that Rainbow Power Company does not provide this service for mobile applications.
To calculate your daily power usage you would need to sum up the equipment you want to run. Let us do the legwork for you, our "Get a Quote" form on the website (available for all our systems) makes this task quick & easy, and we are only an email or a phone call away to help if you can’t navigate the form.
One thing to note: If you want to camp remotely and remain for a long time you need a larger system than those who will be driving more often (the alternator in the vehicle is a very powerful and effective battery charger). Be advised that the Rainbow Power Company system examples can be configured up to 3 days autonomy (3 days of cloudy or rainy weather with no solar production).
To determine the daily power usage you would need to sum up the equipment you want to run. Our "Get a Quote" forms (available for all our systems) make this task quick & easy.
Make A Difference’ with Rainbow Power Company who are your leading solar specialists, call today to make an appointment on 0266891430, email sales@rpc.com.au or just pop in to see us at #1 Alternative Way in Nimbin NSW